How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

wood burning stove small stoves can be an ideal way to save energy and also heat rooms. They do require some maintenance.

Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate, to ensure that your stove doesn't generate lots of harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The scent and sound of a fire can be an enjoyable addition to any home. It is essential to know how to build a fire in your stove. Unintentional methods can lead to the fire not to burn effectively, and can produce creosote or smoke. These tips will aid you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimum effort and with the highest safety.

Before you start a fire, check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet they could smother the flame and stop it from burning efficiently. You might want to open the chimney to remove any ash that falls into the stove.

Begin by placing some small newspaper pieces that are dry in the stove. This will help to ignite the tinder. Once these begin to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there is air between each piece of wood.

If your wood stove has an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically pump air into the fire as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to open the stove's door to keep it in check.

It is important to not use excessive tinder as this could result in the fire burning at an excessive rate and doesn't use the fuel as efficiently as possible. Once you've made a solid bed in your stove of igniters, tinder, and embers begin the main flame by placing two large base logs on the grill. Next, place small logs perpendicular to these and on the top of the base logs. This method of creating a fire called a "top-down" fire can result in a successful and long-lasting fire that does not engulf the larger base logs.

When your fire is established, close the damper and keep it shut. The fire may be smothered if you open the damper before it has fully established. This can also affect the efficiency of the fire.

Adding Wood

Stoves aren't only beautiful pieces of home decor they can also help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be used by themselves or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the additional heat needed in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. The latest clean-burning stoves on the market use a superior combustion principle that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage permits the burning of volatile compounds and the second provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the combustion process and helps to reduce the smell.

The amount of heat that you can get from your stove wood burning depends on the kind of wood and the amount of moisture in it, as well as the size of the logs. To let the wood dry, the logs should be stored in a ventilated space for a few months before burning. If the logs are too wet they will create lots of steam, which is basically wasted energy.

It is best to add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at one time. Adding too much wood at once can cause the temperature of the firebox to increase and creates a vortex, which draws smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame, which can reduce the efficiency of your stove wood burning.

Avoid the use of any other combustibles, such as paper or cardboard in your stove, as they are not wood and have very different physical properties that cannot be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. Also, you should not use compressed combustibles like wood briquettes as they have a very different chemical and physical composition to real firewood, and are not type-approved for burning in wood-burning stoves.

If you're planning to install wood-burning stoves in your home, it's essential to have it installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for proper operation and safety as well as ensure that your chimney is operating correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in tip-top shape. They will inspect the accessible areas of your chimney to determine if there is leakage and fix any issues found. They will also make sure that the residents of the house know and follow the fire evacuation guidelines in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

When you're not making use of your stove, a damper controls the amount of heat lost through the chimney. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue is not open but the damper is closed too much the fire will not burn as efficiently and will release smoke into your living area. You can adjust your damper to get the best flames by experimenting with different positions.

Typically, you should keep the damper open enough to let air in and out of the flue while the fire is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and helps it stay in good shape so that you can enjoy it for hours. The right opening will prevent the fire from being starved of air and keep it from blowing smoke.

To be able to adjust your damper, you have to ensure that the fireplace is heated and the stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and also that it has a strong draft. After these steps are completed, the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has burned for a while, you should close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air from the room from getting into the chimney, while still allowing smoke to escape.

This is the most effective way to prevent the fire from becoming too hot while still keeping it lit. The draft could be stopped if you shut the damper too tightly, but a cold wind could enter your home when the damper is left open.

You can test how much the damper is open by holding your hand near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a breeze pushing against your hand the damper is probably in the open position.

The damper setting can vary slightly from one stove to the next, and even between different types of wood. You can experiment with various settings to get a sense of the most suitable setting for your stove.

Clean up

After an incident, it is important to clean the stove and flue. This will reduce the risk of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the main cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material which can build up in the stovepipe, is very dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that cannot escape the fire are the cause for this substance. This can also occur when fires aren't properly lit.

Regular cleaning can help keep away the buildup of creosote. The best method to do this is by sweeping the chimney every year. It is recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally inspected and cleaned at least once a year.

It is also an excellent idea to clean the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is a good idea to use only seasoned wood to burn, since this will produce less creosote as well as ash. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning cardboard, stove Wood burning paper or plastic items. These materials can release harmful chemicals to the air and flue, which could be released in your home.

It is also important to wash the glass of the wood-burning stove on a regular basis. Most newer wood stoves have self-cleaning windows so they do not require as much scrubbing. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not able get the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.

Other suggestions to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you aren't using it, and cracking windows or doors to improve airflow. This keeps the fire burning longer and more efficiently. The wood stove won't have to perform as hard to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or leave them in the fire for prolonged periods of time, as this could cause warping and splitting. It is recommended to avoid using combustible wood that has been compressed in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and flow into the flue which could cause damage.